title: Research priorities associated with family caregivers in palliative care: international perspectives.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Reviews of the literature have consistently highlighted significant gaps with regard to research associated with family caregivers within the context of palliative care. We sought to determine a priority driven research agenda for this field of inquiry.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Web-based survey was sent to 80 people who had previously expressed interest in, or were members of The International Palliative Care Family Carer Research Collaboration (http://centreforpallcare.org/index.php/research/ipcfcrc/).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-five participants completed the survey (response rate, 70%) from 12 countries. Priority research areas included: intervention development and testing; underresearched caregiver groups; access to services; unmet needs; bereavement; experience and implications of the caregiver role; and development of assessment tools. Qualitative responses complemented these data and also acknowledged the importance of collaboration and development of a critical mass of researchers focusing in this area in order to progress knowledge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results reinforce the findings of systematic reviews that have demonstrated a need for the evolution of intervention development focused on improving family caregiver support. However, there are other key areas that also warrant comprehensive attention, including marginalized family caregivers and strategies to assist health professionals to identify family caregivers who have significant psychosocial issues.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Palliative Care c/o St. Vincent's Hospital and The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. phudson@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: Peter L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Hudson
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zordan
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Trauer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D012106:Research